On 5 November 2024, Dr. Suneerat Fukuda, an associate professor at JGSEE and member of Hub Net Zero, attended an MOU signing ceremony formalizing a collaboration between the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and seven Thai “political partner” organizations. This partnership is a foundational element of the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility and Climate (TGC EMC) initiative, designed to support Thailand in reaching its climate targets.
The ceremony, held at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok, featured remarks from distinguished guests including H.E. Dr. Ernst Reichel, German Ambassador to Thailand; Dr. Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE); and Ms. Insa Illgen, TGC EMC Programme Director.
Implemented by GIZ, the TGC EMC project is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) under Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). Joining GIZ in driving this project are seven key Thai government agencies: the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE), Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Office (ONEP), Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO), Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE), Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). These Thai organizations will work collaboratively on a “sector coupling” approach—integrating key sectors to advance the energy transition, which serves as the central theme of the MOU.
The event also included a workshop titled “Achieving Higher Climate Ambitions through Sector Coupling”, where representatives from government agencies, cooperating partners, and associated stakeholders discussed potential cross-sectoral cooperation between key stakeholders in Thailand. Dr. Suneerat Fukuda joined a panel discussion, sharing her insights and examples on implementing sector coupling in practice from the bioenergy sector perspective.
As a main technical partner of GIZ in the TGC EMC project, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) is involved alongside several local and international institutions. Members of Hub Net Zero, including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bundit Fungtammasan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pipat Chaiwiwatworakul, Dr. Boonrod Sajjakulnukit, and several others, also contributed their expertise to the event.
Photo credit: GIZ
